Boussingaultia cordifolia

Spice In the field

Family: BASELLACEAE

Genus: Boussingaultia

Sinònims: Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis

Catalan common name: Bàlsam emparrador.

Spanish common name: Parra de Madeira.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Castelló. València.

Distribution in the islands: Menorca. Ibiza.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Neotropical

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Perennial.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Garden plants. Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches). Gardens and sometimes naturalizated.

Characteristics: A climbing plant (up to 6 m. in height), very dense growth and easy to identify when in flower. When it is not in flower, it can easily pass unnoticed. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate and cordiform at the base at 2,5-10 cm. Propagates by root division and form the small aerial tubercles that are normally formed in the no flowering leaf axils.